A perpendicular magnetic recording head includes a main magnetic pole layer and a return yoke layer which are laminated with a magnetic gap layer interposed therebetween on a medium-opposing surface, and a pair of side shield layers positioned on both sides in the track width direction of the main magnetic pole layer while interposing a nonmagnetic material layer therebetween. The magnetic gap layer is constituted by a first gap layer formed in a partial area in the track width direction bridging the main magnetic pole layer and the pair of side shield layers, and a second gap layer thinner than the first gap layer and interposed between the return yoke layer and the pair of side shield layers in a remaining area where the first gap layer is absent.